UNION COUNTY, NJ — The Union County Clerk’s Office has reported the following local election unofficial results as of Friday, Nov. 8, from the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. For all of these results, 100% of the districts are reporting.
House of Representatives
Democratic Rep. Rob Menendez of the state’s 8th Congressional District of the House of Representatives received 58.10% or 14,193 votes and defeated Republican challenger Anthony Valdes, who received 38.47% or 9,398 votes. Candidates Christian J. Robbins, Pablo R. Olivera and Lea Sherman received 1.67% or 408 votes, 0.68% or 167 votes, and 0.63% or 155 votes, respectively. There were 0.44% or 107 write-in votes, for a total of 24,428 votes. Elizabeth is represented in this district.
Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of the state’s 10th Congressional District of the House of Representatives received 63.26% or 47,994 votes and defeated Republican challenger Carmen Bucco, who received 34.21% or 25,954 votes. Candidates Jon Carlos Serrano, Cynthia A. Johnson, Donna Weiss and Michelle Middleton received 1.19% or 900 votes, 0.37% or 282 votes, 0.29% or 223 votes, and 0.49% or 371 votes, respectively. There were 0.19% or 141 write-in votes, for a total of 75,865 votes. Cranford, Garwood, Hillside, Kenilworth, Linden, Roselle, Roselle Park and Union Township are represented in this district.
Board of Commissioners
Democrats Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, Alexander Mirabella and James E. Baker Jr. were reelected as members of the Board of County Commissioners, receiving 20.35% or 126,272 votes, 20.47% or 127,001 votes, and 20.07% or 124,510 votes respectively. Republican challengers Mary O’Connor, Jeanne Kingsley and Michael Petrucci received 13.07% or 81,078 votes, 12.87% or 79,875 votes, and 12.99% or 80,604 votes, respectively. There were 0.18% or 1,093 write-in votes, for a total of 620,433 votes.
Clark
Clark Republican Mayor Salvatore F. Bonaccorso won re-election when he received 59.15% or 5,332 votes, defeating Democratic challenger Michael R. Shulman, who received 40.49% or 3,650 votes. There were 0.36% or 32 write-in votes, for a total of 9,014 votes.
Clark incumbent Republican council members-at-large were re-elected, with Angela Albanese, William Smith and James Minniti receiving 20.44% or 5,373 votes, 20.70% or 5,442 votes, and 20.77% or 5,461 votes. Democratic challengers William S. Grzyb Jr., John M. Greaves and Mary Cortazzo Semler received 13.00% or 3,418 votes, 12.53% or 3,295 votes, and 12.43% or 3,268 votes, respectively. There were 0.13% or 34 write-in votes, for a total of 26,291 votes.
Challenger Thomas J. Maye, incumbent Robert F. Smorol Jr. and incumbent Dino Bencivenga won seats on the Clark Board of Education, receiving 27.72% or 4,481 votes, 27.51% or 4,447 votes, and 28.01% or 4,527 votes, respectively. Challengers Jarred B. Preiss and Seamus Patrick O’Toole received 9.19% or 1,485 votes, and 6.86% or 1,109 votes, respectively. There were 0.71% or 114 write-in votes, for a total of 16,163 votes.
Cranford
Incumbent Republican Regina “Gina” Black won reelection to the Cranford Township Committee when she received 46.09% or 6,366 votes, defeating Democratic challenger Juan Carlos Nordelo and candidate Will Thilly, who received 44.24% or 6,112 votes, and 9.59% or 1,325 votes, respectively. There were 0.08% or 11 write-in votes, for a total of 13,814 votes.
Challenger John McGovern and incumbents Jessica Soltys and William B. Hulse were elected to the Cranford Board of Education, receiving 35.97% or 7,919 votes, 33.37% or 7,348 votes, and 29.72% or 6,544 votes, respectively. There were 0.94% or 206 write-in votes, for a total of 22,017 votes. They ran unopposed.
Elizabeth
Incumbent Democratic J. Christian Bollwage won reelection as mayor of Elizabeth, receiving 98.77% or 17,840 votes. There were 1.23% or 222 write-in votes, for a total of 18,062 votes. He ran unopposed.
Incumbent Democratic candidates Patricia Perkins-Auguste, Manny Grova Jr. and Frank J. Cuesta won reelection as council members-at-large in Elizabeth, receiving 33.00% or 16,117 votes, 33.39% or 16,307 votes, and 32.96% or 16,098 votes, respectively. There were 0.66% or 322 write-in votes, for a total of 48,844 votes. They ran unopposed.
Incumbents Charlene Bathelus, Stephanie Goncalves and Iliana Chevres were re-elected to the Elizabeth Board of Education, receiving 26.65% or 9,341 votes, 30.73% or 10,773 votes, and 28.18% or 9,879 votes, respectively. Challenger Maria E. Lorenz received 13.56% or 4,753 votes. There were 0.89% or 312 write-in votes, for a total of 35,059 votes.
Hillside
Incumbent Marjorie Hargrave and challengers Christian Estremera and Eric Okai were elected as Hillside Board of Education members, receiving 36.51% or 4,017 votes, 30.08% or 3,310 votes, and 29.70% or 3,268 votes, respectively. There were 3.71% or 408 write-in votes, for a total of 11,003 votes. They ran unopposed.
Kenilworth
Republican incumbent Joseph Finistrella and challenger Douglas G. Piper were elected to the Council Borough of Kenilworth, receiving 28.82% or 2,177 votes, and 27.40% or 2,070 votes, respectively. Democratic challengers Mark David and Kay Anne Ceceri received 21.88% or 1,653 votes, and 21.79% or 1,646 votes, respectively. There were 0.12% or 9 write-in votes, for a total of 7,555 votes.
Challengers Joseph J. Hrdina III and Suzanne Crincoli and incumbent Michelle Panichi were elected to the Kenilworth Board of Education, receiving 20.66% or 1,204 votes, 22.82% or 1,330 votes, and 20.96% or 1,222 votes, respectively. Incumbents Allison Tears and Paulette Drogon received 18.48% or 1,077 votes, and 16.59% or 967 votes, respectively. There were 0.50% or 29 write-in votes, for a total of 5,829 votes.
Linden
Democratic incumbent Lisa Ann Ormon was reelected as 1st Ward Linden Council member, receiving 64.77% or 958 votes. Republican challenger Oberson Bazil received 34.96% or 517 votes. There were 0.27% or 4 write-in votes, for a total of 1,479 votes.
Democratic challenger Alfred Rodriguez was elected as 9th Ward Linden Council member, receiving 43.84% or 765 votes. Republican challenger Victor Kaminski and candidate Paul Saldanha received 36.91% or 644 votes, and 19.03% or 332 votes, respectively. There were 0.23% or 4 write-in votes, for a total of 1,745 votes.
Incumbents Marlene Berghammer, Lymari Cintron and Antoinette Pino were reelected as member of the Linden Board of Education, receiving 29.62% or 7,413 votes, 29.33% or 7,341 votes, and 29.44% or 7,368 votes, respectively. Challenger Craig Halloran received 10.08% or 2,523 votes. There were 1.52% or 380 votes, for a total of 25,025 votes.
Mountainside
Republican incumbents Alexander Van Deusen and Donald Rinaldo were reelected to the Mountainside Borough Council, receiving 28.70% or 2,347 votes, and 28.92% or 2,365 votes, respectively. Democratic challengers Richard S. Schmedel and Jennifer Toth received 20.99% or 1,716 votes, and 21.29% or 1,741 votes, respectively. There were 0.10 % or 8 write-in votes, for a total of 8,177 votes.
Republican incumbent Valerie Wass was reelected to the Mountainside Borough Council, receiving 99.02% or 2,843 votes. There were 0.98% or 28 write-in votes, for a total of 2,871 votes. She ran unopposed.
Incumbents Candice Schiano and Jordan Hyman were reelected to the Mountainside Board of Education, receiving 51.41% or 2,240 votes, and 47.33% or 2,062 votes, respectively. There were 1.26% or 55 write-in votes, for a total of 4,357 votes. They ran unopposed.
57.98% or 2,057 voters voted yes and 42.02% or 1,491 voters voted no for Mountainside’s Public Question, to reinstate teaching positions and programs that were cut due to budget shortfalls. There were a total of 3,548 votes.
Rahway
Democratic challenger Alfmarand Montesdeoca was elected as 1st Ward council member of Rahway, receiving 75.38% or 1,473 votes. Republican challenger Jeannette Rubio received 23.80% or 465 votes. There were 0.82% or 16 write-in votes, for a total of 1,954 votes.
Democratic incumbent Karla Timmons was reelected as 2nd Ward council member of Rahway, receiving 67.22% or 1,261 votes. Republican challenger William J. Brenner Jr. received 32.62% or 612 votes. There were 0.16% or 3 write-in votes, for a total of 1,876 votes.
Democratic incumbent Vannie D. Parson was reelected as 3rd Ward council member of Rahway, receiving 61.04% or 1,457 votes. Republican challenger Darren John Lesinski received 38.58% or 921 votes. There were 0.38% or 9 write-in votes, for a total of 2,387 votes.
Democratic incumbent David Brown was reelected as 4th Ward councilman of Rahway, receiving 82.74% or 1,414 votes. Republican challenger Jermaine Caulder received 16.85% or 288 votes. There were 0.41% or 7 write-in votes, for a total of 1,709 votes.
Democratic incumbent Danielle Newbury was reelected as 5th Ward councilman of Rahway, receiving 69.06% or 1,268 votes. Republican challenger Barbara Czarnecki received 29.52% or 542 votes. There were 1.42% or 26 write-in votes, for a total of 1,836 votes.
Democratic incumbent Joseph D. Gibilisco was reelected as 6th Ward councilman of Rahway, receiving 58.85% or 1,264 votes. Republican challenger Casey E. Granieri received 40.78% or 876 votes. There were 0.37% or 8 write-in votes, for a total of 2,148 votes.
Incumbent candidates Bernard P. Robson, Najeh Allen and Shanna Raysick were reelected as members of the Rahway Board of Education, receiving 20.77% or 5,137 votes, 20..83% or 5,151 votes, and 20.22% or 5,001 votes. Challengers Ray Lopez, Laura Bellevue and Leslie Rippon received 13.51% or 3,340 votes, 12.43% or 3,074 votes, and 11.81% or 2,921 votes, respectively. There were 0.42% or 105 write-in votes, for a total of 24,729 votes.
Roselle
Democratic incumbent Brandon Bernier was reelected 2nd Ward council member of Roselle, receiving 99.39% or 1,148 votes. There were 0.61% or 7 write-in votes, for a total of 1,155 votes. He was unopposed.
Democratic challenger Rosetta McCamery was elected 5th Ward council member of Roselle, receiving 98.99% or 1,765 votes. There were 1.01% or 18 votes, for a total of 1,783 votes. She ran unopposed.
Incumbents Giselle Bond, Yessica Chavez and France Cortez were reelected as members of the Roselle Board of Education, receiving 34.95% or 3,411 votes, 33.74% or 3,293 votes, and 30.21% or 2,948 votes, respectively. There were 1.10% or 107 votes, for a total of 9,759 votes. They ran unopposed.
Roselle Park
Democratic challenger Joseph Petrosky was elected as 2nd Ward council member of Roselle Park, receiving 62.22% or 807 votes. Republican challenger Jorge Ramirez received 37.55% or 487 votes. There were 0.23% or 3 write-in votes, for a total of 1,297 votes.
Democratic challenger Jay Robaina was elected as 5th Ward council member of Roselle Park, receiving 59.09% or 647 votes. Republican challenger Eric Kennedy received 40.73% or 446 votes. There were 0.18% or 2 write-in votes, for a total of 1,095 votes.
Challengers Lucy Figueiredo, Zachary Infante and Marc Fernandez were elected as members of the Roselle Park Board of Education, receiving 21.36% or 2,106 votes, 14.22% or 1,402 votes, and 14.24% or 1,404 votes, respectively. Challenger Jennifer Makhoul, incumbent Paul Baiamonte and challengers Cielo Maria Cunha and Christian Camilo received 13.69% or 1,350 votes, 13.55% or 1,336 votes, 12.56% or 1,238 votes, and 10.04% or 990 votes, respectively. There were 0.33% or 33 write-in votes, for a total of 9,859 votes.
Springfield
Democratic incumbents Chris Weber and Alexander Keiser were reelected as members of the Springfield Township Committee, receiving 30.36% or 5,176 votes, and 28.20% or 4,808 votes, respectively. Republican challengers Jeffrey Chait and Catherine Guarino received 19.82% or 3,379 votes, and 21.42% or 3,652 votes, respectively. There were 0.19% or 32 write-in votes, for a total of 17,047 votes.
Challengers Tracey M. Rinaldi, Dana Kelly and Jennifer Wishna were elected as members of the Springfield Board of Education, deceiving 27.88% or 3,959 votes, 27.96% or 3,970 votes, and 23.74% or 3,371 votes, respectively. Incumbent Yelena Zolotarsky received 19.79% or 2,811 votes. There were 0.63% or 90 write-in votes, for a total of 14,201 votes.
Summit
Democratic candidate Michelle Kalmanson was elected as 1st Ward council member of Summit, receiving 52.85% or 2,931 votes. Republican candidate Donald Nelson received 47.10% or 2,612 votes. There were 0.05% or 3 write-in votes, for a total of 5,546 votes.
Democratic candidate Claire Toth was elected as 2nd Ward council member of Summit, receiving 53.26% or 3,182 votes. Republican challenger Mark Gunderson received 46.65% or 2,787 votes. There were 0.08% or 5 write-in votes, for a total of 5,974 votes.
Union
Democratic incumbents Manuel Figueiredo and Sandra Terrell were reelected as members of the Union Township Committee, receiving 35.36% or 17,464 votes, and 34.47% or 17,023 votes, respectively. Republican challengers David J. Fitzpatrick and Stephen Laurito received 15.08% or 7,446 votes, and 14.85% or 7,334 votes, respectively. There were 0.24% or 120 write-in votes, for a total of 49,387 votes.
Democratic incumbent Patricia Guerra-Frazier was reelected as a member of the Union Township Committee, receiving 99.29% or 18,615 votes. There were 0.71% or 134 write-in votes, for a total of 18,749 votes. He ran unopposed.
Incumbents Chastity Santana, Greg Nasta and Kimberly Scott-Hayden were reelected as Union Board of Education members, receiving 29.04% or 12,003 votes, 29.46% or 12,179 votes, and 30.40% or 12,566 votes, respectively. Challenger Sol V. Atencio received 10.41% or 4,303 votes. There were 0.68% or 283 votes, for a total of 41,334 votes.